The National tribune., 1887-06-09
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught By STUDY OF the Inter.
national Sunday school Lesson Appointed for
June 10. TX, 90 :12-sl.

MANDMENTS.
The Decalog is worthy our profound study.
The children of Israel left Egypt, and in six
weeks reached Mt. Sinai. 1t was at this mount
ain, also called Horeb that Moses received his
commission. (3:l) At that time God prom
ised Moses thus: When thou has brought forth
the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God
upon this mountain" (3:12) When the
promise was uttered Moses was o shepherd in
indian and the Israelites slaves under Pha-
raoh's taskmasters. What changes meanwhile!
The Exodus had become an accomplished fact.
The King of Egypt and his principal men had
all been drowned.
The pause at Mt Sinai was the most impor-
tant of all in the Wilderness. Among the in
cidents of greatest moment was the giving of
the Moral Law TO Moses from God. Most of
the revelations then made were recorded on
papyrus. A distinction was observed as to the
DecalOg. For its record God directed that
Moses should have two stone tablets--one for
the inscription of the first four Command
ments referring to our duties to God, and the
other for the last six, giving orders as to our
mutual human obligations. Murphy says of
the Decalog: "A broad basis for a system of
ethical science" Kalisch states thus of the
10 Commandments:
So comprehensive Is the purport Of these words,
that from the earliest times the whole sum of the
divine precepts has been considered to be included
In them as IN embryo, that all the other laws are
elaboration of these words.
We are informed the Commandments were
written by " the finger Of God" OK, "a: IL;
81: Is; 30: 16; 4:1.) From 81 29 we find
that God wrote them through Moses. The two
stone tablets, having been thus inscribed, were
deposited in the Ark of the Covenant. (Deu.,
1875; Heb, a; l XII, 5:9.) The two tab
lets which were first craven were broken by
Moses, when, in anger at the worship of the
al ha sol IL l. .I.
on the rocks below. (Ex 81 10; 81: IL Along
with other sacred utensils destroyed by Nebu-
chadnezzar was the Ark, with its contents.
Once recorded, il was important to make
known the Moral Law. The exact method we
cannot state. Moses descended from the mount
ain, and during the recital of the DecalOg was
with the people. 10 :25; 20: 1921 We
would think from %: l, and Deu., "a, that
God uttered the words. 1t is generally held
that a voice issued, in a miraculous, majestic
tone from out the fire envelOping the mountain,
declaring in the hearing of the 100000 people
the items Of the Moral Law. In an announce
ment of grace, a still small voice would be
suitable, but when the Law is to be made
known, it must be Illuminated.
Notice the Author of the Law. God spake.
He is not the God of Jews alone, and hence the
Ten Commandments are for all mankind. He
had not authority over Israelites alone, and
therefore the Decal0g is binding on men for all
time places, races He has right to demand
obedience. He himself states two reasons why
he, in issuing commands, is not presumptuOus.
/. He is the Lord, our God. 2. He is our Pre-
server. We owe TO him every blessing. The
Jews are peculiarly indebted for escape from
bondage. Surely God has authority to say to
every one, Thou shalt not"
The Decalog represents 10 great facts, for
bidding 10 evils:
/. Monothesm vs. polythesm
2. Personal worship of God VS.. idolatry.
3. Reverence for God vs.. vulgarity.
A. Observance VS.. proclamation of the Lords
Day.
3. Filialness VS. disrespect Of parents.
8. Kindness VS.. hatred.
z. Purity vs.. uncleanness.
3. Honesty vs.. peculatiOn.
8. Truth vs. falsity and misrepresentation.
10. Generosity VS.. eOvetousness.
There IS pregnant sense to each Command
ment. Each Is a genus with innumerable spe-
cieS. There is no possible crime not antici-
pated by Thou shalt not" With our SaviOr's
critical Interpretation, as to what constitutes a
violation of either law, to wit, that q DESIRE
wish, or intention to break Commandment
holds the person to accountability for actual
violation, and we have, in the Decalog severe
test OF character, complete hedging against
innovation, an almost sure prevention of in
fraction. God is represented (Deu., 5: 29) say
ing of the lsraelites, "Oh that there was such
heart in them that they would fear me and
might be well with them and their children
forever" If we love God we shall obey him.
(St. John, Ia :21, 23)
One important purpose of the Law in the
Gospel dispensation is that it conyinces Us of
our sin. But having done this, it has nothing
more to offer. (Gal., 3 :11.) Here Christ comes
to the rescue We find, tested by the Com
mandments, that indeed we are gross sinners
Like schOolmaster (Gal., 3:24) the Law ex-
poses our errors and corrects Us. We SEQ some
thing must be done, and are ready to resort to
Jesus.
We can but notice the directness of the Com
mandments. Humanity is considered as a
unit, and each command is addressed to the
race one person. and each so includes every hui
man being. Then, by kind of analysis, every
command is issued to each member of the hu-
man race. DIR. Murphy, noticing this, says:
The attentive observer will note the unity of the
party addressed indicated by the singular pro-
nouns thy" thee" Gods people are one in a
very profound sense, as they have one Creator,
Regeneration and Redeemer. But this pointed form
of address at the same time brings home the obi
CATION of the law of Heaven to the individual as
well as the community.
Our books on law deal with the third person {;
Gods laws are addressed to the second person
There is an indirectness not so likely to stir up
pressions as the party of the first part and the
party of the second part. respondent and CORE
spondent, plaintiff and defendent. There is a
sort of impersonality about such expressions,
but Gods laws are addressed from the first per-
son, Jehovah, direct to the second person, man
Thou shalt not"
Looking over the Commandments, and con-
sidering the moral condition of the Israelites,
we can account for the nature of the Decalog.
1t aimed at the very sins most common then
among the Hebrews, or into which they were
most in danger of being led. But human ma
ture is and always has been the same, and the
Commandments are never out of place. They
are eternal truths.
1t was because of some alliance between the
DecalOg and the 18th chapter of st. PauPs First
Epistle to the Corinthians that the Bishop of
OSsory. Ferns and Leighlif was able to see in
St Pauls words 10 principles of charity, as
follows:
l. Thou shall suffer long and be kind
q Thou shalt not envy.
g. Thou shalt not walnut myself nor be pulled up
T. Thou shalt not behave myself unseemly.
D. Thou shalt not seek thine own.
g. Thou shalt not be easily provoked.
T. Thou shalt think no evil.
T. Thou shalt not rejoice in inauity but thou
shalt rejoice In the truth.
o. Thou shalt bear all things and endure all
things
10. Thou shalt believe all things and hope all
things.
The Church should study the Decalog. The
custom of reeiting it in the public congregation
is TO be commended. The practice OF inscrib-
ing the 10 Commandments cOuspicuously on
chancel sides has advantages. With-what an
awful voice they were first uttered on Mt.